My baby, Natasha, turned 24 today! Because she is in her final semester of college, we can’t be with her today. So, sweety, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY NATASHA!
March 31, 2008 at 7:29 pm (Family)
“AUNTING”
March 28, 2008 at 6:24 am (Family)
Today we are leaving for Lancaster, PA for the wedding of my nephew, Todd, and his fiancée, Alisha. I know it will be a lot of fun and a bit bittersweet, especially for my sister, Kathie. Todd is Kathie’s “baby”. He is the last one to “fly the coup”. I think she is going through the “empty nest” (even though she still has my mother, 87, and aunt, 91, to care for!)
For the past few days I have been thinking about this “moving on process”. When my kids and my nieces and nephews were little, I loved it. They were all so much fun! And getting together was a blast! You never knew what would happen. We just knew that SOMETHING was going to happen. Often I have felt like I would like to go back to that time. It was GOOD. But the other day I realized, I love being a mother and aunt to 20-somethings! I look forward to getting together with them – and having adult conversations! They have grown into wonderful, responsible adults. Didn’t I do a good job at “aunting”?
BTW – Congratulations Todd and Alisha!
HAPPY HOPEFILLED EASTER!
March 23, 2008 at 6:44 pm (Uncategorized)
I love Easter! Everything about Easter speaks hope into our lives! The very reason we celebrate Easter is because of the supreme sacrifice that Christ gave for our sins, for our lives! This morning, my husband preached an awesome Easter message! It really ministered to me and many others! You could feel God’s presence in all that we did!
This afternoon, I had the privilege of having three pastors (all single and 26) at our home for dinner. Our son, Nick, a pastor that he works with, Andy Lehmann, and our Youth Pastor, Brian Algeo all had Easter dinner with us. They were so much fun! And afterwards, I had an Easter egg hunt for them in the backyard! It was so funny watching 3 “adults” looking for eggs! They searched for about 15 minutes, trying to think the way I do. They were trying to figure out where I would hide the eggs! (I know there is a sermon in there somewhere!) Anyway, in the end, Andy found the most – and he won the prize, a gift card to Eat ‘N Park!
(BTW, how many of you “clicked” on the names above? I haven’t quite figured out how to link other blogs to mine. I just thought it would be fun to make it look like I did!)
NO SHORTCUTS ALLOWED
March 17, 2008 at 8:36 am (Focus)
I am reading Facing Your Giants by Max Lucado. I love his writing style and insight into Old Testament stories. One that intrigues me is the story of Uzzah. Uzzah was a priest during David’s time. When David decides to bring the Ark of the Covenant back to Jerusalem, Uzzah and his brother, Ahio, are put in charge of the transport. The ark is loaded onto a cart drawn by oxen. As the cart lunges forward, the ark begins to teeter. Uzzah reaches to steady it. He is immediately struck down by God, dead! Why would God kill Uzzah as he was doing a godly thing? That just doesn’t seem fair! But the truth of the matter is that Uzzah tried to take a shortcut. He was aware of God’s requirements that the ark was to be carried by priests using two acacia wooden poles. God was very specific concerning the Ark of the Covenant. It was something that was sacred. And God never allows us to take shortcuts with the sacred. Uzzah would have known the requirements for transporting the ark. But he chose to take a shortcut.
In my own life, there have been so many times when I felt that I deserved a shortcut. After all, I am doing God’s work. And I have had some “challenges” with which to deal. So, as long as I “get the ark to Jerusalem”, does it matter what shortcuts I take? YES, it does! In a very insignificant example: There have been numerous times lately that I have felt that I “deserve” to have an apricot danish, some ice cream, french fries, etc. You get the idea. My body has gone through some trauma, so it is okay to eat these things. But the reality is: If you eat all that fat, you gain all that fat!
God has called me and YOU to very specific tasks. You can’t sidestep them. You can’t take shortcuts. You MUST follow His instructions (His Word). To do otherwise is to nullify His will.
SPIRITUAL ADHD
March 11, 2008 at 8:25 am (Focus)
The past few months I have had a hard time concentrating on doing the “task at hand”. I have referred to my many lists and tried (in vain) to complete every task each day. My husband (the best husband in the world) has been my daily encouragement by praising those things that I have completed. But I have found myself doing the “unimportant” things just so I could scratch them from my list. I jump from one thing to another and get very little accomplished. I am majoring on the wrong things! It is as if I have “spiritual ADHD”! Yesterday I came to realize that my main focus in life is not what I have been working towards. My purpose, my focus is to reach others for Jesus Christ! It isn’t to have two wonderful kids; it isn’t to beat cancer; it isn’t even to plan a great event. It is to reach others for Christ! This past Sunday, a wonderful lady in my Sunday School class prayed a simple, but profound prayer. It went something like this: “God, when Satan can’t make us bad, he makes us busy. Keep us from that.” Philippians 3:13b-14 says, “…Forgetting what is behind (my “tasks for today) and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal (reaching others for Christ) for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”
JESUS GETS ME DOWN!
March 7, 2008 at 6:54 am (Uncategorized)
My daughter, Natasha, has been home this week on Spring Break from Central Bible College in Springfield, Missouri. We have had soooo much fun with water battles (in the house), snow ball battles (in and out of the house), shopping (yea!), and climbing a tree! This is Tasha in one of the best tree-climbing trees ever! It reminded me of a song I learned (many years ago from Sue Duffield at Youth Camp). The words go something like this:
Jesus gets me down.
Jesus gets me down.
When Satan gets me up a tree,
Jesus gets me down!
Have a great day – and climb a tree for me!
LESSONS FROM DAD, PART III
March 1, 2008 at 6:46 am (Lessons Learned)
Final lessons from Dad…
17. If it needs done, do it! Simple truth that is significant. Don’t complain about it. Don’t wait for others to do it. Do it!
18. Take yourself seriously. God gives each person special gifts. He gave them to you to use to their fullest!
19. Church is important – take ownership of the building and the members and get involved!
20. Always pay your tithes.
21. Give to missions. Honor Missionaries. I grew up believing (and still do believe) that missionaries were some of God’s choicest servants.
22. Be friendly. Make others feel comfortable.
23. Always encourage the youth. Dad and Mom were “chaperones” for our youth group way before Youth Pastors were common. We had parties in our basement. And Mom and Dad always went with us to the Youth Convention. It kept them young – and me in line!
24. Have convictions – and stand for them!
25. The Word of God is important to have hidden in your heart.
26. Never waiver in your faith. Situations may change, but God never does.
In conclusion, Dad ALWAYS spent time alone in prayer, every morning, every night. He lived what he believed. I only hope I can be half the example that he was!
